A new presidency for the Conference of Bishops

From our special envoy to Lourdes

The three men seem a little intimidated in front of the many journalists gathered in Lourdes, this April 3 afternoon, for the first press conference of the new president and his two vice-presidents of the Conference of Bishops of France, all elected in recent hours.

If Cardinal Aveline is now a media personality known among the bishops of France, it is different with its two aids, however easily identifiable by their colleagues gathered for the plenary assembly of spring to Lourdes.

Bishop Vincent Jordy, 64, is not a newcomer. The current Archbishop of Tours is indeed in his second mandate as vice-president, thus ensuring the continuity between the presidency of Archbishop Moulins-Beaufort, on the departure, and that of Cardinal Aveline, who will officially start in July 2025.

Bishop Jordy, a bishop formed in Rome

Bishop for seventeen years, Mgr Jordy was first trained in the right before entering the priesthood, with part of his training in Rome. Having become auxiliary bishop of the concordatory diocese of Strasbourg for three years, he will then discover a very different reality in the diocese of Saint-Claude, where he will exercise for nine years.

At the same time, between 2019 and 2022, he accompanied the work of the episcopal commission dedicated to catechesis and catechumenate. A mission that continues to mark it, as he will testify during this day’s press conference …

Mgr Bertrand, a bishop from the medical world

Bishop Benoît Bertrand, he, 65, is the newcomer in the adventure. Young bishop, ordered barely six years ago after twenty-eight years of priesthood, he first claims his knowledge of the professional world. His initial pharmacist training in Nantes led him to work for four years for the Paris hospitals. Before finishing, too, on the benches of the Gregorian University of Rome for his theological training. It was there that he met Vincent Jordy. Bishop Bertrand likes the theological training work, which he practiced at the Nantes seminar for fifteen years.

He prepared for his mission as a bishop as vicar general of the diocese, before being appointed to Mende, in this territory of Lozère that the urban that he was discovered with wonder for five years. It was then called in a strongly urbanized diocese: that of the new city of Pontoise, in the Paris region.

He continued to implement his theological expertise in the Doctrinal Commission of the Conference of Bishops over the years. It is also for this reason that he participated, with Cardinal Aveline, in the Roman sessions of the synod on synodality, a few months ago. An experience that brought them very close.

Major pastoral challenges for a church in search of listening and dialogue

The three men have therefore already crossed and have forged links which can only strengthen in this new joint mission. Because the files awaiting this new team are substantial. That of the management of scandals in the church will obviously continue, even if business now seems to have moved to another field: that of renewed support for Catholic education establishments.

Cardinal Aveline points out: “We must be able to say together what has changed, over the past years, in us as a bishops and in us as victims. While the Ciase’s report had called on the victims to become witnesses, we must welcome the words so that, from witnesses, they become brothers and sisters of our assemblies. »»

For Archbishop Bertrand, this project extends what he has experienced himself in his professional commitment: learning to take care of people. He recently participated in the great survey carried out in the dioceses on the health of the priests.

And what other files? The time is still too early for these three men just named to say it with clarity. They have the coming weeks to take the measure of these new responsibilities. Cardinal Aveline, however, stresses the importance of working on “spiritual roots, on all floors of the church, to return to the essentials”. This is also expressed, for him, by the need to work on “episcopal collegiality”.

Without forgetting to participate in the debates of society. “The church knows that it is a minority in France but it allows it, with others, to bring its specific gaze. That of announcing the love of God for this world which involves taking into account the poorest of our society. It is an essential contribution that it thus makes. »»

For Archbishop Jordy, the amazing signal of these full churches on Wednesday ashes must be welcomed with respect. His colleague, Mgr Bertrand confirms it, explaining that he had received nearly 900 letters from young people and adults in the past year.

Be craftsmen of the interreligious dialogue

And all the three of going in the same direction: “It is not a question of screaming victory but of cooperating with the Holy Spirit. What is he telling us through this movement of people who tell us, in their letters of the paths which often make themselves very far from the routes that we had imagined for them?” Because the challenge is to advance with modesty. A style that Cardinal Avline already assumes in his diocese. he repeats as an important conviction.

This is true to accompany human dramas in the church but also, those in the rest of society, especially in families. Without forgetting to remain craftsmen of the dialogue. The singular experience of the city of Marseille can be inspiring: “Since October 7, I have noticed that it is difficult to allow Muslim and Jewish friends to speak to each other. It will take time, until it becomes possible again. Because dialogue is always possible, especially when we talk about the existential dimension of faith. Because if people will draw from different places enough to satisfy their thirst for God, they are all confronted with the same questions of existence, around evil, death, fear. »»

Promote a meeting at “face height”, to withstand the political instrumentalizations of religions. This is what Cardinal tries to live every month, inviting for a fraternal exchange time of Christian, Muslims and Jewish officials. An opening that will undoubtedly mark the presidency during the next three years.